


Two years two dead

by sydendless



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Dead Aradia, Death, Ghosts, I don't know what to tag this, Karkat Swearing, Paralysis, Two Years Later, but not on the cannon characters, karkat being karkat, later au, sollux needs a hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-30
Updated: 2016-03-30
Packaged: 2018-05-30 01:54:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6403867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sydendless/pseuds/sydendless
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One week before the trolls start Sgrub things go horribly wrong. The game accounts for an almost infinite number of possibilities but somehow the impossible has happened and something was unaccounted for. The outcomes of this one change are two numerous and the best possible action is to wait until the dust settles and the effects are clear before starting almost normal operations. A two human year wait is little in exchange for calculating all the new variables that were brought up. After all the game was only supposed to start with one dead troll. </p><p>It’s been almost a sweep since Karkat died. The group of twelve living trolls is now down to ten and in a society full of death and murder this shouldn’t be a big deal. It shouldn’t be but it is. It’s been almost a sweep and everything has changed even if just a little. The only thing that remains the same are two ghosts that are now just waiting for the game to start.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Two years two dead

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Thank you for reading!!!! When you're done please read the end notes.

It’s not the first time I had to make a supply run. It’s fine, inconvenient but fine. It’s a week from my wriggling day so I need to stalk up on food for Crabdad and myself. The trip to the drop off isn’t so bad as long as I’m really fucking careful. Trolls tend to try and pick each other off before they even get to the supplies the adults send in. Most trolls over three sweeps can scavenge for the food they need and normally I would, but there was a drought recently and most of the animals have moved to find a new water source. The drought means the chances of finding a sea dweller or another highblood on the way or guarding the food is really low for now. The chances of any older or stronger trolls however, is higher there’s even a chance for some almost ascension age trolls to show up.

Normally I’m fast enough to get through the ranks without trouble. I’m actually surprisingly sneaky when I want to be… or at least I haven’t been caught as many times as the others. I’ve tried to be as un-noticed as possible for almost my whole life, it’s not like it was a choice. Red means dead end of story. Some assholes think it’s edgy or some shit like a fashion statement. Witch take it from someone who has this shit in my veins it’s not fucking cool. Knowing you’re going to die young isn’t a fucking fashion statement. Not that you nookwhiffs give half a shit about that. 

Honestly I could have had any color on my sine I wanted. Rust would have been underestimated to the point that people would have attacked me just to get me out of the way without fear, stupid but it happens. Anything up to yellow the same thing. Yellow up to blue would be dangerous not to notice but dangerous enough to challenge. Any color above that is an actual danger and the other highbloods will attack almost as soon as they see them.

The reason I went with gray hemo-anonymous is simple, it blends in by standing out. No one want’s to fucking guess in a life or death situation and the even highbloods don’t give it more than a passing thought. That’s what I need. If I gather attention it won’t end well.

This will be a quiet trip. I can’t really yell about anything this time of night it’s asking to get killed. It’s one of the perils of living so close to others.The shipment from the adults normally comes in the later night just before daybreak. It’s also when the fewest trolls are out because of the danger of the sun. It opens a window for jade bloods to get what they need with the smallest amount of danger. They are the only ones safe in the sunlight after all. When I need to go to the drop offs that’s when I go. I’m better off risking my life against the sun then risking my life fighting off the masses. 

I set off quietly and quickly to the drop destination. I take to the shadows and run along. I pass several trolls that are on their way home without a single one looking in my direction. I rush forward Hoping to get there with no problem. This is a real fucking hassle but it’s not like I have much of a choice. If I wait until tomorrow the drop off is going to be full of trolls practically fucking shitting on themselves trying to get what they need. If the drought hadn’t happened then Crabdad would be able to get more then enough food but it’s not really an option now.

I make it to the drop quickly. There’s already some bodies in front of the supply crates from what looks like the first of many strife’s to get what’s there. I take a look around and make sure that there’s not anyone who’s going to be in distance to attack me before I’m done getting what I need. It’s not going to be much help considering the damn things in a clearing and things like ranged weapons FUCKING EXIST but I make sure anyway. I run forwards and captchalogue the food I need before absconding as fast as I can. I feel someone watching me and it’s unnerving as fuck but I can’t stop so close to the drop or else it’ll draw attention and I’ll get killed. I can take on one person but if someone else see’s my blood I’m suddenly a target to everyone who sees it. It’d be best to get as close to home as I can before confronting whoever’s following me.

\---------------------------------------------

When you’re dead you don’t really feel anything. You’re left in a sort of neutral freeze. You have no sense of contact. You can try to touch but your hand goes through. It should be frustrating but it’s not. You can try to stand but you have no weight so even if you put your feet on the ground there’s nothing no force pushing or pulling you. It’s not like you care. I used to be able to fly anyway so I do that instead now. It makes me feel a bit more real. I try to avoid going through things for the same reasons. 

The feeling of connecting with others goes away two. The rush of emotions you have when you’re alive and see someone are almost unnoticeable, but when you’re dead the lack of them seems staggering. No words bring comfort or pain. “ii’m 2o 2orry” can only be accepted so much when there wasn’t ever feeling to begin with and the words don’t change that. I wish I could accept his apology sincerely but the only reason I even want to is the hollow knowledge that I would have felt bad about it if I were alive. 

You’re more of a concept when you're dead… A voice or an image not a being. Concepts don’t have feelings. Those who aren’t really there can’t be sad or happy or mad. At least that’s what I thought.After all I had been a ghost for a while and hadn’t felt anything since I died. 

The sudden wave of dread that washes over me unexpectedly is not a pleasant feeling and I would give anything to go back to neutrality. The sudden knowledge that something is wrong hit’s me full force. I glide shocked for a few moments before I realize I have to do something. I open trollion and message Karkat trying to convince him to run, or hide, or not do what he was going to, just anything, but he doesn’t respond. Whatever’s wrong I need to try and stop it. I can't just go help him. I don't know the situation. 

The only person who can hear me is Sollux and I need help. I fly at my top speed to his hivestreem typing out a message that I’m coming over. When I finally get there I float through the closed window and immediately start to talk. “S0llux s0mething’s wr0ng. Karkat is in tr0uble.” Sollux jumps and spins around looking for me. He should know by now he can’t see me.

We don’t have time for his usual obliviousness Karkat needs help. Yes I can move things around with my telekinesis but I can only access it in bursts. Whatever this is its huge and I don’t think a small burst is going to help. It’s like all the forces that have been guiding me are screaming. Something is wrong. “AA thank2 2o much for 2topping by two 2ay hii once iin a whiile. 2o niice of you. Two not ju2t drop by when you need somthiing.” We don’t have time for this.

“Shut up and help me we need t0 get t0 Karkat.” Sollux jumps more at my tone then the unexpectedness this time. He seems to get how urgent this is now and gets ready quickly. He opens the window and we start flying towards where I feel Karkat is as he fallows my voice. “What2 going on AA?” “I d0n’t kn0w s0mthing’s really wr0ng” he nods, “but like how wrong liike-” he freezes and the feeling suddenly stops. It’s like something’s been decided and I’m not in on it. “S0llux whats g0ing 0n” that seems to push him into action. Suddenly he’s flying faster than I’ve ever seen him go. “Sollux?” “II hear hiim.” What? “Where?” he speeds up even more “No AA II HEAR HIIM.” That’s when it hits me.

He’s not talking about him being close enough to hear. He’s talking about his power. Sollux can hear the voices of the soon to be dead and the trolls who are already dead. Karkat will die. I Fly through trees no longer caring about dogging around them so I can act even partly alive. Sollux is speeding so fast I would be afraid for him if I could.

\-----------------------------------------

When I get close enough to my neighborhood I stop and turn around. I was honestly hoping I’d lose whoever this is but it’s not happening. They’re not as fast as me but apparently better at tracking and maneuvering through the forest. I may have been ahead for most of the run but every time I had to slow down so I could maneuver through the trees the asshole caught up. I can’t risk one of my neighbors seeing this. I’m close enough that Crabdad might hear me and come help but I doubt it. I need to confront this person now before he finds out where I live. I can’t open myself up for an ambush at home. I take out my sickles and prepare to fight.

A guy bursts through the tree line looking every bit like a big cat. I can safely say this guys on my worst case scenario list. He looks barely pre-ascension and he’s around a mid-blue color. An older highblood oh JOY. I look him directly in the eyes. I can’t back down. I have to be careful. “WHY ARE YOU FOLLOWING ME?” He pulls out his weapon… he’s got a staff. Ok that’s not too bad. “y()u’re a fast ()ne a!most !()st y()u a few times. I’m impressed. I haven’t f()und any prey this fun in a !()ng time.”, So that’s his game. He’s hunting. 

“IF YOU’D HAVE WAITED AT THE DROP OFF YOU PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER PRAY THERE BULGEMUNCH.” He shakes his head “N()t ()ut as !ate as y()u were.” He takes up a fighting stance and I can’t say he’s not right.

He takes the first swing and I dodged just in time trying to get a slice in when his side is unprotected. He swipes back up to block and our weapons lock. The power difference is obvious but if I give up he’ll kill me. I twist my wrist a bit forfeiting some strength in my hold but making it so if I pull down I’m going to destabilize the asshole and give myself an opening.

I pull but I underestimated the fucker and he pulls out a hidden blade. He swings it over his staff. It digs into my shoulder, but I stop it’s progression down my chest with right sickle and dislodge it. He takes that opportunity to push me back with a blow forwards to my stomach I resist the need to curl up. He freezes for a second looking at my shoulder. He saw my blood color. Panic makes me strike at his neck trying to go for a fast kill but his reflexes kick in and he blocks with his staff and strikes with his blade again. He makes a deep cut into my arm and I flinch and the next few things are just a panicked blur.

When I come completely back to my senses I have my left sickle buried around his side and into his back with the huge curve that was why I first started using sicklekind. From the way he folds in on himself I assume I managed to get it into his spine. I’m glad I got payback but I don’t think I’ll make it home. In fact as I take inventory of myself and the pain starts to outweigh the adrenaline I’m suddenly very aware that I’m missing my right arm, a chunk of my left hip and I have several gashes on my chest near the one on my shoulder from earlier and that leads down to the blade that’s buried into my chest next to my blood pusher. 

Trolls are fucking durable but we’re not invincible. Looks like this is where I die. The fight starts coming back to me and I’m kind of weirdly happy to have gone down in battle. I’m covered in my blood and his at this point. The spinal injury wasn’t all I managed to put on the piece of shit. We're both going to die today. “FUCK… ” I slide down a nearby tree and look at the blueblood. He’s still breathing but he won’t ever be moving on his own again. “IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS A TIE FUCKASS.” His eyes are murderous and honestly it’s fucking hilarious. He picked this fight it’s not like he didn’t know the risks. He’s paralyzed and dying and I’m dying two.

I’m losing so much blood and my vision is fading to black. He laughs “I h()nest!y w()uld have !et it be with a !ight strife if y()u weren’t a freak.” I kick him weakly and it hurts like I’m being ripped apart but it’s so fucking worth it. “YOU”RE A CASTEIST FUCK. HOWS IT FEEL TO KNOW YOU'RE VULNERABLE AND DEFENCELESS UNTIL YOU FUCKING DIE.” He Hisses “I’!! KI!! Y()U.” I can't help but laugh 

“YOU ALREADY DID… BUT THE THING IS IF YOU WANTED TO MAKE MY LIFE SHORTER, OR EVEN MOVE AWAY FROM THE MUTANT FREAK, OR MAYBE JUST SCRATCH THE ITCH ON YOUR NOSE, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU’D HAVE TO DO?” he hisses again “YOU’D HAVE TO MOVE…OH! HEY LOOK WHAT I CAN DO.” I make a show of moving my one arm back and forth. Fuck it hurts. There’s honestly nothing I’d rather be doing with my remaining time then messing with this flaming pile of diseased bulges. Who said you can’t be snarky, sarcastic asshole on your deathbed.

No… No now that I think about it, I think I would have liked to say goodbye to Dad. Maybe after saying goodbye to everyone. I’m so fucking close to dead when I hear the words “!ike y()u c()uld ever c()mpare t() me y()u fucking mutant.” Nope this is just as good. “I’M SORRY YOU IMMOBILE MASS OF BUCKET REJECT I CAN'T HEAR YOU OVER THE SOUND OF ALL THIS MOVING I'M DOING.” It hurts so fucking bad but I’m determined to move, or at least twitch, until I die just so I can show this asshole up, and I do just fucking that.

\---------------------------------------------

When I catch up to Sollux he’s frozen on the side of a small clearing I walk up and stand beside him wondering what could have made him freeze. When I look over I see what’s going on there’s blue and… Red everywhere. Like a horrific mirror of sollux’s glasses. The blueblood appears to be awake and frightened. He’s old… almost ascension age. It seems obvious what happened. Karkat was attacked and he fought back well enough that he was able to paralyze his attacker. Red is … abnormal and from what little I’m getting from my fading emotions I don’t mind I’m just sad he’s gone. Well not really gone being that he is currently hovering impassively around a foot away from his body. 

Sollux moves forward, steps over the blue blood and hunches down to Karkat’s body. “KK?” he puts his hand on Karkat's body's face. Kar’s spirit twitches in a way I know means he’s feeling the hollowness that is in place of what he knows he should feel. I see a yellow Tier Slide down Sollux’s face and Karkat’s soul twitches again. “KK Plea2e wake up. Don’t be dead.” He pulls the blade out of Karkat’s body. “Not you two KK.” Then he gently picks him up and holds him. I feel like this is private and personal. Like I’m intruding. I feel even more like this as I fly around to see his face better and see that his yellow tears mixing with blue and red making some odd colors. “II wa2n’t fa2t enough. Why do all my be3t friiends diie?”

When I look back to Karkat his expression is a neutral grimace. I understand that. There’s a distinct lack of emotion and he knows he should feel strong, horrible, and intense emotions about his friend crying over his body but he can’t. I want to hug him before my emotions leave again. So I do. I hug him and he awkwardly accepts. This is too familiar and I grieve for both of us in a way I couldn’t before until all of my emotions drain away.

The sun is about to come up when Karkat speaks for the first time. “SOLLUX THE SUN IS ABOUT TO COME UP YOU CAN STAY THE NIGHT AT MY HOUSE.” Sollux jumps but makes no move to put Karkat’s body down. “You’re a gho2t now two?” Karkat shrugs before remembering Sol can’t see him. “YES… I’M SORRY.” Sol nods and Kar Says “I … CAN’T FEEL MUCH I THINK BUT I …. THANK YOU.” Sol Just holds his body tighter “For what KK?”, “FOR CARING” Sollux makes a distressed noise “You don’t need to thank me of course II care bulgemunch.” 

The sun will come up soon we need to get Sollux somewhere safe. “Lead the way t0 y0ur h0use Karkat” “HOW? HE CAN”T SEE ME.” I pick up One of Karkat’s cycles and move it near him with my powers. “S0llux fall0w the cycle.” Kar guides him away towards his house as I float it behind him. Glad that my powers are working well enough to weakly launch the weapon in Karkat’s direction every now and again. I think I'd get a certain vindictive glee if I was alive knowing that leaving the blueblood where he is will have him slowly, helplessly, roasting in the sun until death. Sollux seems to feel it well enough though and just ignored his screams as we walk away.

We go through the neighborhood with an unnecessary amount of caution. It must have been natural to Karkat. When we finally make it to the house Sollux presents Kars body to His Crabdad and it makes this noise of despair that makes Sollux start crying all over again.

Sollux puts Kars body on his couch and Crabdad curls around him. Sollux can’t bear to look and trades rooms going to Kars room. “Are you two stiill here.” I sigh when we both say yes at the same time. “Should II tell the others what happened?” I answer for Kar “Yes the 0thers need to kn0w” “What about your blood KK?”, “I… I WOULDN’T HAVE LIKED IT, BUT I DON’T THINK IT MATTERS NOW. I DON’T REALLY FEEL…. ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. IF YOU WANT TO YOU CAN.” I suddenly feel a pull and information floods my mind. 

“When we start the game we will b0th be alive again. I w0uld n0t tell anyone.” Sollux turns to me excitedly. “Really? You two can come back?” “Yes” ”Game? … the one you asked me to work on. It’s almost done we can start it in like a week! That-” the pull is strong and if I don’t convey the message It will be bad “No the game is fixing itself. Only one was to be dead in the beginning. We must wait.” Sollux looks like someone drained all the energy from him. “How long?” I quickly tell him the date. The pull adds “almost a sweep” so I say it.

Sollux flips threw his sylladex and sighs “ii diidn’t briing my laptop.” Karkat shrugs again “YOU CAN USE MY CRABTOP” as Sollux sits and begins to tell everyone on trollion about what happened, Karkat sighs as his Sylladex falls into his recuperacoon with a splat. Sollux looks over before he can even enter the first line “You’re still using that? Can you even trade now?” Hmmm. Honestly I don’t know. I take out an extra one of my modi and hand Karkat a bunch of the old one’s I found on dig sites.

He chooses a modi called abstract and it changes within a second. Karkat takes a breath in. “The shit that goes in your squawk blister to keep you alive.” Food falls from his modus through his hand as he tries to grab it. Well at least the modi is well suited for him. Just describe it in an abstract way and there it is. As sollux gets back on task I find myself helping Karkat figure out how to be a ghost. He’s oddly quiet for him but I guess it’s normal after one dies. This is going to be a long two years.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello again! I've had this idea stuck in my head for a wile and now it's time to let it out. this story is sadly un-betaed but I am trying to correct mistakes over time. I'd love some feedback after all I can't get better if I don't know where to start. Thank you again for reading so far


End file.
